Serial renal biopsy in systemic lupus erythematosus

OBJECTIVE: To examine the role of sequential renal biopsies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with regard to indications, morphologic change over time, and the clinical utility of repeat biopsies. METHODS: Patients with repeat renal biopsies were identified from the University of Toronto Lupus Clinic Database and their biopsies were reviewed blindly by a committee, using the WHO classification as well as activity and chronicity indices. Reasons for obtaining biopsy were documented, and therapeutic decisions following repeat biopsy were tabulated. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients (49 F/9 M) had at least 2 renal biopsies between 1970 and 1994. The mean interval between biopsies was 4.2 years. The major reason for obtaining the first biopsy was disease diagnosis (32/57), while the majority of repeat biopsies were performed to discern the cause of increasing proteinuria (45/57). A comparison of the WHO classification of initial and repeat biopsies showed evolution to another class in 23 instances, but more commonly a change within a class was seen. A decrease in proliferative lesions (classes III and IV and subsets of V) was noted on repeat biopsies. The chronicity index increased significantly (p = 0.0001) and the activity index decreased (p = 0.064) between biopsies. Seventy-seven percent of patients had a change in treatment based on biopsy results. CONCLUSION: The major reason for repeat renal biopsy in patients with SLE was proteinuria. Renal morphology in patients with SLE can change with time, particularly in terms of chronicity and activity features. Repeat biopsies in patients with SLE appear to have clinical utility.     

Serial changes in cardiovascular and renal function of rabbits ingesting a high-fat,high-calorie diet

To explore the mechanisms of obesity-induced hypertension we analyzed the sequential changes in cardiovascular and renal function in adult rabbits switched to high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks. Animals were housed in metabolic cages for continuous 24-h recording of arterial pressure by telemetry and daily urine collection. High-fat diet induced a progressive increase in body weight (+47%) and a rapid rise in mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and glomerular filtration rate that stabilized, respectively, at 14%, 31% and 68% greater than control values. Time-course analysis of changes in blood pressure may reveal two components of obesity-induced hypertension, an early phase related to HFD itself and a later phase related to weight gain.     

X-ray microanalysis of isolated perfused rat hearts

Summary X-ray microanalysis was carried out on sections from isolated hearts perfused with a modifiedKrebs-Henseleit solution with or without isoproterenol. Changes in P, Ca and Zn concentrations could be detected after isoproterenol and some correlation with hemodynamic and morphological parameters was observed. Ratios between P/Ca in myonuclei and the ratios of interstitial cell to myofiber nucleus calcium were related directly to the state of the heart.

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Röntgen-Mikroanalyse des isolierten, perfundierten Rattenherzens

Zasammenfassung An Schnitten von isolierten Herzen, die mit einer modifiziertenKrebs-Henseleit-Lösung mit oder ohne Zusatz von Isoproterenol perfundiert worden waren, wurde eine Röntgenmikroanalyse durchgeführt. Nach Isoproterenolperfusion konnten Veränderungen der P-, Ca- und Zn-Konzentrationen und eine Beziehung dieser Änderungen zu hämodynamischen und morphologischen Parametern festgestellt werden. Das P/Ca-Verhältnis in den Kernen der Muskelfasern und die Calcium-Relation zwischen den Kernen der interstitiellen Zellen einerseits und der Myokardfasern andererseits zeigten eine direkte Beziehung zum Zustand des Herzens.

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With 2 figures and 2 tables

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This work was supported by a grant from the joint Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School fund. Funds for the purchase and running costs of the instruments were provided by the British S.R.C.     

Electron probe microanalysis in the study of gallstones.

Detailed information on the structure and composition of gallstones was obtained using an electron probe microanalyser in conjunction with the other methods. Gallstones were studied layer by layer without greatly disturbing the arrangement of the materials present. Elements, including trace elements such as copper, iron, and manganese, were identified and their distributions mapped. The range of the method was extended to determine the character and distribution of certain chemical groups present by treating sections of gallstone with reagents which contained easily detected elements. The nature of the bonding of the sulphur in the stones was studied by examining the sulphur-X-ray spectrum. Pigmented sulphur-containing deposits were found to contain sulphur in a low valence state but taurine conjugates and the sulphate groups of mucosubstances were not detected. Microcrystalline apatite present in the stones contained some manganese and seemed to be implicated in the absorption of the low valence sulphur compound and in the nucleation of some stones.     

基于RNA-seq分析Eha调控迟缓爱德华菌抵抗酸化的作用

目的 Eha是一个影响迟缓爱德华菌(Et)胞内生存的转录调控因子,本研究有助于揭示其调控Et抵御酸的分子机制。方法用ATPase抑制剂洛霉素A1抑制巨噬细胞的酸化,菌落计数法比较酸化对野生株和eha基因缺失株胞内存活数目的影响;比较两种细菌在酸性应激实验中存活率的差异;构建pMP220-P_(eha)LacZ质粒,采用β-半乳糖苷酶实验检测eha基因的启动子在不同酸性pH值下和不同培养时间的转录活性;选择Eha转录水平最高的一个酸性pH值和培养时间,分别提取两种细菌RNA,进行RNA-Sequencing;并用qRT-PCR验证其结果。结果野生株ET13在巨噬细胞内和不同pH酸环境中的存活率明显高于缺失株,阻止酸化胞内菌数明显高于未阻止酸化的胞内菌数(P0.05)。对数期细菌pH6.3培养基生长2h,RNA-Sequencing结果表明:eha基因缺失株转录水平和野生株相比,147个差异显著表达的基因(DEGs)(|log2Ratio|≥1),其中113个上调,34个基因下调,qRT-PCR随机抽样,和RNA-Sequencing表达趋势呈强相关。147个基因采用GO数据库进行功能聚类,分成25类,主要涉及细菌加工、定位、代谢、结合、催化、运输、细胞成份;基于KEGG通路的富集分析,有130个可以富集到55条通路中,包括与氨基酸、核苷酸、脂质代谢及铁的转运等路径,涉及基因较多的有双组分系统、ABC转运系统、不同环境中的微生物代谢和次级代谢产物等路径。结论在酸性生存环境,Eha对Et的转录组呈多途径、多基因的适应性的全局性调控。     

Acute right heart failure caused by tacrolimus after renal transplantation: Serial observation by speckle tracking and Doppler echocardiography

Tacrolimus is an immunosuppressive agent well known to be capable of producing renal impairment. Acute renal failure with right heart failure caused by tacrolimus is rarely described. We report the findings of one such case in which tacrolimus caused acute renal failure with severe tricuspid regurgitation and right ventricular failure documented by echocardiography.